About The Fightin' TIger Battalion

Army ROTC, Military Science, was established as an integral part of the academic curriculum of Clemson University beginning in 1893 with the institution's first full-time academic year of operation. Clemson's long association with Army ROTC began in the context of a Military College with an all-male corps of cadets.

On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany, and Clemson's senior class volunteered to President Wilson en masse. A total of 1,549 served and 25 were killed in the line of duty. Medals of Honor were presented to Ensign Daniel Sullivan and Sergeant Evans Foster. During World War II, Clemson supplied more Army officers than any other institution except for Texas A&M. A total of 6,475 served and 370 were killed in the line of duty. A Medal of Honor was presented to LTC Jimmy Dyess a member of Clemson's Class of ’31.

In 1955, the trustees of Clemson College took steps toward becoming a full university resulting in the Corps of Cadets being abolished. The ROTC basic program remained mandatory for only freshmen and sophomore males until 1969. ROTC became fully an elective program in 1971 and opened to women. Three years later, Clemson had its first female leadership officer commissioned. The Army ROTC has remained an elective program for all classes since that date.

Clemson ROTC offers a general military subject curriculum. This enables the program to produce officers available for a wide variety of Army assignments in most branches.

At present, both the two-year and four-year programs are offered as a part of the Army ROTC curriculum. This curriculum is a viable academic career program for both male and female students who desire entry into the Active Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard as Commissioned Officers.